The 21st Annual CATI Conference, held at Meredith College, Raleigh, on April 19, attracted 70 attendees who enjoyed a full day of networking and interesting, relevant sessions on a range of topics.

Opening the conference, CATI President Mike Collins (left) told the attendees about the CATI board's primary goal for the coming years: to increase student membership and involvement. He spoke about several steps that will be taken to achieve this goal.

First, CATI has already brought its student membership fees and requirements in line with those of ATA, as a way of making membership more accessible. Secondly, the board has agreed on a series of scholarships — prospective student members will be able to substitute volunteer work or other contributions for paid membership or conference and event fees. Lastly, he announced that CATI plans to implement an informal mentoring program called “Learning the Ropes.” This program will not duplicate the efforts of the ATA's more structured mentoring program. Rather, it will depend on a short, rotating list of our seasoned veterans who will agree to make themselves available to student members seeking advice on specific topics, or to help with study-related projects. Mike expressed the hope that this will develop into a resource that is beneficial to students and professionals alike.

After the general announcements, keynote speaker Sue Ellen Wright (below left) presented a very thorough and thought-provoking session titled "Basic Principles of Terminology Management."

As usual, InTrans booksellers offered a wide selection of dictionaries, providing a valuable opportunity for attendees to examine the dictionaries before buying. There was also a representative from WordFast who demonstrated this translation memory software and handed out information.